Narrator

OverviewQuotes

Narrator
General Information
Title	The Storyteller
Alias	Homer
Affiliation	House of Hades
Behind the Scenes
Voice	Logan Cunningham

“	Few tales are told of Hades, whose very name inspires fear and penitence, reminding us of the inevitable fate which we all share. I, however, mean to tell you such a tale. Listen carefully...	„
	~ The Narrator

A mysterious entity, the Narrator (also known as Homer according to Melinoë) is a seemingly omniscient commentator who watches over the story. Notably, the only people in the series who appears to be able to hear and interact with the Narrator are the siblings Zagreus and Melinoë, who often respond with a retort to the Narrator's lines during their adventures. Zagreus refers to him as 'old man', while Melinoë refers to the Narrator by his true name.

He returns in Hades II, now narrating Melinoë's journey.

Identity

• Examining the Bust, Old Man from the House Contractor multiple times will result in Zagreus attempting to converse with the bust to get a response from the Narrator. After enough interactions the Narrator may have several different responses, including "The vastly irritating Prince gets no response." These interactions may imply that the bust is in fact depicting the Narrator himself. The Narrator describes the bust as a "distinguished poet" who has "yet to earn his fated fame," and it bears a striking resemblance to depictions of the poet Homer.
  • During a flashback in Hades II, a young Melinoë refers to him as Homer, causing the Narrator to panic and pretend not to know who she is referring to, while the background music briefly stopped, humorously signaled by a record skip. She also frequently calls him Homer during runs and other interactions.
  • If Melinoë examines the shades in the training area of the Crossroads, the Narrator will comment that some shades of the Underworld do not develop any physical or ghostly form, and are instead rendered down to their base essence. This prompts Melinoë to ask in concern if he is alright, implying that the Narrator's soul can only exist as an invisible presence that observes and describes the actions of others. This creates a secondary implication that the isometric camera in both games may in fact be the Narrator’s own point of view, supported by certain lines of his stating that wherever Melinoë goes, so shall he.

Trivia

• The Narrator has a low opinion of Cerberus in both games, even to the point of considering Cerberus' normal form to be more monstrous than Infernal Cerberus in Hades II.
• He also shows a clear preference for Melinoë over her brother. He is quick to describe Zagreus as stubborn, brash, lazy, and even “vastly irritating”, much to the prince’s chagrin. Melinoë on the other hand is described much more respectfully, and their interactions are more polite compared to the jabs he and Zagreus exchange. He also frequently responds to Melinoë when she speaks to him, whereas Zagreus’ attempts at communication are often brushed off or ignored entirely.
• The heroes Achilles and Odysseus are both the protagonists from Homer's famous books: the Iliad and the Odyssey. It's thus likely no coincidence that they're the heroic figure close to each protagonist.
• The Narrator directly conversing with Zagreus and Melinoë is possibly a reference to Homer's use of apostrophe, sometimes directly addressing the figures in his stories.